Look at Exodus 13:3 – 16.
The Lord is commanding, exhorting, emphasizing to the nation of Israel that they are to remember that He, with a powerful hand, brought them out of slavery in Egypt.
Four times in those verses He reminds them of what He did, what they are supposed to remember.
They didn’t.
In a matter of days they were grumbling that He brought them out to die.
I tend to forget what God has done for me. Latent Israeli tendencies I suppose.
He has done so much more for me. He died for me. He rose breaking the power of death for me. He lavished His Spirit on me. He has brought people into my life who have instructed and mentored me. He has guided me and formed me for His purposes that He set for me before the foundation of the world.
Yet I forget. Yet I grumble. I need to remember.
The Lord is commanding, exhorting, emphasizing to the nation of Israel that they are to remember that He, with a powerful hand, brought them out of slavery in Egypt.
Four times in those verses He reminds them of what He did, what they are supposed to remember.
They didn’t.
In a matter of days they were grumbling that He brought them out to die.
I tend to forget what God has done for me. Latent Israeli tendencies I suppose.
He has done so much more for me. He died for me. He rose breaking the power of death for me. He lavished His Spirit on me. He has brought people into my life who have instructed and mentored me. He has guided me and formed me for His purposes that He set for me before the foundation of the world.
Yet I forget. Yet I grumble. I need to remember.
Second test post from Art
ReplyDeleteGot this one
DeleteThis is such a sad truth! I can remember such trivial things - but the truly important things seem to so easily slip away so quickly. It's really no comfort to realize I am in a great company of Biblical characters, for example, the twelve men Jesus chose to be His followers, to whom he eventually committed the ongoing commission of what He came to launch.
ReplyDeleteStudying the record of Jesus' life given by the young John Mark it has impressed with aching heart how they forgot His ability to feed multitudes with a couple of handfuls of bread and little fish (Ch. 6:30-44 followed by Ch.8:1-9) and then later in that same chapter on the boat (Ch. 8:14-21).
As I have reflected on my future from this day on I see only darkness, no light - except I know Christ is there in my own Valley of Shadow of Death. I have reflected many time the last months on they way God has led and provided over the last 50 years from limited finance in grad school (at least once with a loaf of bread, jar of Peanut Butter I bought with my last cash plus a jar of jam given by my Aunt), marriage with a no money and a donated diamond for Sharon's ring, through the events of our lives so improbable I find it hard to grasp.
So - why do I doubt? I can barely say with the father of the demon-possessed son (Mark 9:24 NIV) "Lord...overcome my unbelief!"
I conclude that God never stops pushing me into new areas to expose my unbelief....
You captured exactly how I have been experiencing this.
Delete